The pile on the leftover turkey…no matter how dry and pitiful it might look.

Take the pecans…

And throw them into the cranberry sauce.

Pile this mixture on the turkey…

And spread it around to evenly cover the turkey.

Top this with two thick slices of Swiss.

Then top with the other slice of bread, slather both sides with butter…

And grill it in a panini press OR in a heavy skillet, pressing with a spatula as it cooks. (Or you can place a second heavy skillet on top of the sandwich to weight it down.)

Yum. I have high hopes for this one.

Score. A direct hit.

This was astoundingly delicious! The jam added a little sweetness. The Dijon added a really nice tang. The cranberry sauce moistened the turkey and the pecans brought a nice little crunchy bite. And the Swiss was divine—it brought everything together, and the world is once again a wonderful, miraculous place.

123 Comments and 10 Replies

Ha! This is essentially what I’ve been chowing down on for the past week in preparation for Thanksgiving. Going to definitely have to try this with the added jam and dijon.

-C

3

Sabrina On Wednesday, November 23 at 5:06 am

Hey Ree =)

What panini-maker do you use? Is it a normal kontact grill?

Love from Germany
Sabrina xxx

Terri Gauldin On Wednesday, November 23 at 7:35 am

I use a Breville and it is MARVELOUS!!! Got it from William Sonoma and grill sandwiches, hamburgers, bread, asparagus, chicken, you name it! It has an djustable height top and it can cook 4 regular sized loaf bread sandwichs at the same time.
We are addicted to it!

Thanksgiving leftovers are the best for tossing into a sammich in all kinds of crazy combinations. Stuffing, turkey, cranberry sauce, and maybe some mashed potatoes for good measure? Slap it between two slices of bread and call it lunch the next day!

25

Winnie Dolderer On Wednesday, November 23 at 8:26 am

Looks great! Can’t wait to try it. I never would have thought of the pecans! I mix cranberry sauce and mayo together for a spread…will try the mustard. Happy Thanksgiving.

Kat On Wednesday, November 23 at 8:52 am

I feel like that panini is smiling at me. I might need that by the time I hit day two of Thanksgiving 2011.

30

DiDi Leigh On Wednesday, November 23 at 8:54 am

Love the Sixteen Candles reference, gonna try the sandwich on Friday!

31

Emily On Wednesday, November 23 at 9:23 am

That looks awesome! For our Thanksgiving, we always add celery and walnuts to our cranberry sauce; family tradition. I will try that on the sandwich, sure it’ll come out great! Thanks for another good recipe xo

AngAK On Monday, November 28 at 3:20 pm

This is actually a menu item at a local coffee shop and I order it when I’m feeling festive. Sooo good! Great ideas!

40

Martha in KS On Wednesday, November 23 at 10:14 am

Thanks so much for this idea. I have some delicious sharp cheddar with dried cranberries that I’ve been rationing, hoping for inspiration. Friday I’ll make a Ree Panini! Happy Thanksgiving & glad you don’t have to cook – hope there are leftovers to bring home.

Why didn’t I think of this before? Not sure if I’ll do all of those condiments (’cause I’d have to go buy all of them special)… but maybe turkey, Swiss and apple butter? That might be tasty. Must get some Swiss cheese.

43

country@heart On Wednesday, November 23 at 11:20 am

Can’t wait for leftovers to try this out!

44

Yang On Wednesday, November 23 at 11:27 am

That cranberry pecan sauce looks yummy… But I gotta say, I got scared will all that butter!

45

Kim On Wednesday, November 23 at 11:45 am

A hint of monte cristo…one of my all time favorite sandwiches. Wish I like turkey more.

46

carol On Wednesday, November 23 at 11:53 am

wish it was the day after already. i live for the sandwiches after the big day.

47

wendy mar On Wednesday, November 23 at 12:02 pm

Yum. Love pannini’s! My daughter just made the cranberry sauce. Getting ready to brine the turkey. Baking No-Knead Bread in the oven as I type this. Bring on the leftovers! This will be a fabulous post-thanksgiving sandwich!

48

Gina Jackson On Wednesday, November 23 at 12:03 pm

This looks absolutely d’lish! So glad we’re having our dinner @ noon so I’ll be able to nosh on this for an evening snack!

Your green bean casserole has become a family tradition in my home. My father detests mushrooms so yours with sharp cheese and red peppers struck a chord with him. My husbands asks to be sure I’m making it each year!

I’ll be having some of that on the side of my panini tomorrow night!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

49

stephanie On Wednesday, November 23 at 12:23 pm

I drooled – a lot – reading the recipe. It will definitely be on my leftover turkey recipe list.

Just got a panini maker so I will be making these!! Happy Thanksgiving!

51

Holly Bode On Wednesday, November 23 at 12:49 pm

A restaurant in Carefree, AZ serves this with cream cheese instead of the jam.
Pure bliss!

52

Carmen On Wednesday, November 23 at 12:51 pm

So diet food, Right?

53

Kristin On Wednesday, November 23 at 1:06 pm

I really need a to eat that!! Looks so yummy!!

54

Wendy On Wednesday, November 23 at 1:41 pm

I might leave out the nuts, but this looks just plain amazing! Also, if you don’t have a panini press, try using your George Foreman. It works quite well!

55

Jenn On Wednesday, November 23 at 2:00 pm

I can 100+% guarantee that I would never never make this…it sounds positively appalling to me! Definitely not foodie enough to even want to try it!

Mattie On Wednesday, November 23 at 2:57 pm

So I’m not the only one who feels like this? I’m with you, I really don’t think this makes for a good combo of ingredients at all.

56

Jack On Wednesday, November 23 at 2:32 pm

Sorry Ree I think you blew on this one.Does not sound good at all.To each their own.Food is supposed to be fun and cant please every one.

57

lori On Wednesday, November 23 at 2:38 pm

What do you think of using peach jam???? In place of fig or apricot.
thanks

58

Mattie (Inthekitchenwithmattie.com) On Wednesday, November 23 at 2:53 pm

Got to be turkey tetrazinni as the first dish from the leftovers. Then onto the sandwiches. we do a turkey, ham, provolone,sun dried tomato, mozzarella, pannini…..mmmmmmmmmm good and filling! I got a huge turkey for just three of us so we have plenty of leftovers! Stock is already made for the stuffing and gravy and more will come from the turkey carcass. Dough is rising for the rolls now, everything is almost done for tomorrows feast and yet I still feel like I’m forgetting something.

59

Samantha K. On Wednesday, November 23 at 2:55 pm

I think I’d choose between the apricot and the cranberry and only do one. But this sounds great!

60

Denise On Wednesday, November 23 at 2:58 pm

Oh my gosh, I need to eat one of those NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

61

Eliza On Wednesday, November 23 at 3:36 pm

Any recipe works for me when you can squeeze in a classic line from Sixteen Candles. Happy Thanksgiving!

Good Lawd that looks good! It doesn’t say much for my cooking that your “dried up” leftover turkey looks better than my fresh from the roaster oven kind. I will definitely be making that sandwich! A panini maker I do have!
Mindyhttp://www.thesuburbanlife.com

Niteowl Nancy On Wednesday, November 23 at 7:42 pm

This is my favorite leftover turkey sandwich (although the apricot jam and pecans will be a new yummy addition). My little sis is doing Thanksgiving this year, so I won’t have a ton of leftovers. That’s okay. I planned ahead and bought a turkey for a mini-Thanksgiving at my house. Hubby is already asking when I’m going to cook it!!

I am loving you right now. My hubby absolutely dies for cranberry sauce, comes from the land of dijon, and his best friend (who is Italian, no less) stuffed him full of panini over the years. Off to impress…”oh, why yes honey, I DID just throw this together for you!”

There’s a coffeeshop here that calls this a Nuttybird. They use turkey, creamcheese, cranberry sauce and sprouts on sunflowerseed bread. It’s not grilled so maybe it wouldn’t be as rich, but it is fine eating!

I didn’t know there was such an easy way to make panini without a panini maker.. will try this soon definitely! Thanks for sharing:)

72

Inyureye On Thursday, November 24 at 7:49 pm

I’ll bet this would be good with left over baked chicken too. I don’t have a panini press, but I do have a griddle and cast iron chicken fryer. I can improvise with that until Santa bring’s me a Panini press. Oh, Santa Baby

73

Amanda S. On Friday, November 25 at 9:44 am

Thanks for the recipe. I have a lot of tasty turkey and all the fixins left over. This looks like a great way to put some of them to good tasty use.

74

cyndi watkins On Friday, November 25 at 10:12 am

i just want my family to have good health and a warm place to live happy holidays!!

75

Tanya On Friday, November 25 at 10:52 am

I use my old George Foreman grill to make paninins. It works GREAT!

76

Rachel On Friday, November 25 at 11:16 am

That looks awesome!

77

Kay On Friday, November 25 at 11:38 am

good health good cheer and great meals with my kids and family.

78

Kristy On Friday, November 25 at 11:59 am

I want a treadmill for Christmas.

79

melissa On Friday, November 25 at 12:00 pm

A positive outcome on medical tests

80

marsha murphy On Friday, November 25 at 12:17 pm

i want a red purse.

81

cristina On Friday, November 25 at 12:43 pm

Peace of mind….. or, maybe piece of mind??

82

Megan S. On Friday, November 25 at 1:06 pm

I would like for the people in government to start acting in a respecting god-like manner. Our government’s behavior is just disgusting.

Love the idea of adding the jam to this sandwich along with the Dijon mustard. The flavors sound do good together! And perfect for all of our left over turkey too.

87

Chell On Friday, November 25 at 3:59 pm

Ree, this looks heavenly. Unfortunately we Canadians had our Thanksgiving back in October, so there is no turkey to be found in my house. But I have bookmarked this (and a million more of your recipes) on my iPad and am waiting patiently until the day after Christmas (we usually have turkey on Christmas in my family) to make this.

Yum.

88

Jan Shannon On Friday, November 25 at 4:22 pm

I want to win this set of knives to give to my granddaughter as a wedding gift. She’s a military wife and as such doesn’t have much money to buy luxeries like this.

89

Turkeyless in New Zealand On Friday, November 25 at 5:10 pm

Ree, Ree, Ree … how you torture us non-Americans! I have no turkey, leftover or otherwise. So I took myself off and got a rotisserie chicken … luckily I have all the other ingredients. YUM! Thank you!

90

annie56 On Friday, November 25 at 8:41 pm

you missed it on this one ree –

i make bread with my leftover sweet potato casserole (think the regular potato bread recipe, only with sw. potatoes) – then slice it, medium thick. slice the leftover cornbread dressing and lightly saute it, mayonnaise (mustard is not yummy on sweet potato bread), swiss cheese, turkey and cranberry sauce and then put it in the panini press.

For Christmas I would like work for my boys, and peace for my family………

92

Linda On Friday, November 25 at 11:23 pm

Jewelry

93

Kortney On Friday, November 25 at 11:25 pm

Jewelry

94

Charmaine On Saturday, November 26 at 12:23 am

I made these for dinner tonight===yum yum yum!!! Everyone liked them. Thanks for another great recipe

95

Walter G On Saturday, November 26 at 12:57 am

Now i’ve got to dig out my Cuisinart press out. Mine will be: Turkey, Dressing, Cranberry salad, Slathered (don’t you luve that word) with butter, And if I can find any left-over gravy. I’ll have it overall, like Murphy’s and eat it with a fork.